The evaluation of a mupirocin-based selective medium for the enumeration of bifidobacteria from probiotic animal feed

In this study, MRS medium supplemented with cysteine hydrochloride and mupirocin, termed Bifidobacterium selective medium (BSM) was found to be elective for bifidobacteria but inhibitory to a wide range of non-bifidobacteria strains commonly included in probiotic animal feed. Bacilli, lactobacilli, lactococci and streptococci failed to form colonies on BSM and enterococci, pediococci and propionibacteria formed colonies <0.5 mm in diameter. Bifidobacteria formed colonies >1 mm in size and could be readily distinguished. The addition of nystatin to BSM further inhibited Saccharomyces cerevisiae. BSM was successfully used to enumerate the bifidobacteria components, confirmed through fructose-6-phophate-phosphoketolase detection, present in two commercial probiotic feeds. The medium is recommended for the enumeration of bifidobacteria from animal feeds especially when not a numerically dominant component.